Rivermen Grind Out First Win 0f Season in Macon

(Photo: Peoria Rivermen/Bob Hunt)

Rivermen Grind Out First Win 0f Season in Macon

Dion's late goal, 20 Green saves in relief lift Peoria to 4-3 victory

Macon, GA – The Peoria Rivermen did not lead until the 17:03 mark of the third period before eventually taking a 4-3 win over the Macon Mayhem Friday night. The win, Peoria’s first of the season, improves the Rivermen to 1-2-0 before a rematch in Macon tomorrow night.

The Mayhem started the scoring with a power-play tally in the middle stages of the first period when a Macon pass threaded the needle through traffic to Jeff Rivera, who put it in from the left circle for a 1-0 lead.

The Rivermen tied the game at 10:02 of the first. Rookie Nick D’Avolio took a pass from Geordie Wudrick, danced around his defender, and beat Macon goaltender Garrett Bartus to make it 1-1.

The Rivermen and Mayhem traded goals again in the second half of the first period. At at 15:34 of the first period Mayhem center John Siemer put the puck past Rivermen goaltender Matt Grogan to make it 2-1. Peoria countered at 19:33 of the first on the power play when D’Avolio took the puck through the circle and beat Bartus top-shelf from point-blank range to tie the score 2-2.

Macon re-took the lead with a short-handed goal early in the second period. With Peoria on the power play, the puck squirted out of the Macon Zone and found Daniel Gentzler at center ice. Gentzler converted a breakaway opportunity to put Macon ahead 3-2 and chase Grogan from the contest.

Peoria tied the game in front of new goaltender Tyler Green at 11:01 of the second period with Connor Gorman’s first professional goal. Gorman took a pass from Dakota Klecha, carried the puck into the Macon zone, was knocked off-balance, and proceeded to rifle a shot past Bartus to tie the score 3-3.

The game remained without another goal through the remainder of the second period and most of the third until Peoria scored with under three minutes remaining in regulation. Newcomer Mitchell Mueller fired a shot from the right point that rebounded off the back boards and came to Cody Dion on the doorstep. Dion buried the puck over the pad of Bartus to give Peoria a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish, holding off a late Mayhem power play chance for the 4-3 victory.

Grogan got the start in net, allowing 3 goals on 11 shots faced before being pulled in favor of Green after 21 minutes and 19 seconds. Green got the win in goal, stopping all 20 shots he faced over the final 38:41 of regulation.

Notes: D’Avolio’s goals were the first and second of his career, in his pro debut…Gorman also tallied his first pro goal in his second professional game…Green made 20 saves in relief for his first pro win in his first pro appearance…Dion’s game-winning goal was the 6^th of his career, and first of the season…Klecha has tallied a point in all three Rivermen games this season…Peoria is 6-0-0 all-time in regular-season games against Macon…The Rivermen return to action when they rematch the Mayhem in Macon at 6:30 PM Central Time Saturday night…The game can be heard, starting with pregame show, at 6:15 Central Time at: http://mixlr.com/peoria-rivermen/  

Group, Season, and single-game tickets for Peoria's 35th season of professional hockey are on sale now at the Rivermen office, located at 201 S.W. Jefferson Street, or over the phone at (309) 676-1040. For the latest Rivermen news and notes, follow online at www.rivermen.net or through Facebook (www.facebook.com/PeoriaRivermen) - Twitter (https://twitter.com/Peoria_Rivermen)